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forlorn

/fərˈlɔːrn/  ·  say it: fur·LORN

lonely and miserable

In Emotions & Moods

In more detail

1. (adjective) sad and lonely; abandoned or left alone

2. (adjective) (of a situation or hope) having no expectation of success; hopeless

Examples

• 1. The forlorn old man sat on a bench with no one to visit him.
• 2. She made one last forlorn attempt to save the relationship, but it was too late.

How to use forlorn

Forlorn describes a state of sadness mixed with abandonment or hopelessness, often with a slightly literary or poetic quality. It conveys not just sadness but isolation or futility, making it less everyday than 'sad' but more expressive. It frequently appears in the phrase 'forlorn hope' meaning a desperate or nearly impossible attempt.

Register: literary

Common phrases

• forlorn hope
• forlorn figure
• forlorn attempt
• look forlorn
• forlorn expression

Synonyms

dejected · melancholy · wretched · desolate · abandoned

Opposites

cheerful · hopeful · content

Word family

forlornly (adverb) · forlornness (noun)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use 'forlorn' for ordinary sadness when it actually suggests a deeper sense of abandonment or hopelessness; it is stronger and more specific than simply being unhappy.

Nearby in Emotions & Moods

euphoric, melancholy, jubilant, ecstatic, dejected, content

Keep going

How to remember the words you read · Spaced repetition, explained